Neske

Neske is a Dutch feminine given name functioning as a pet form of Agnes, itself derived from the ancient Greek name Hagnē, from the adjective hagnos meaning pure or chaste. The name traveled into Latin as Agnes and became widely popular throughout medieval Europe due to the veneration of Saint Agnes of Rome, a third-century martyr. In the Netherlands, the diminutive suffix -ke attached to a shortened stem of Agnes produced Neske as an affectionate familiar form. Related forms include Nees, Nessie, and Agnes itself.